Page 112 of Malicious Intent
He took her hands in his. “Do you remember what I told you?”
She looked from their fingers twisted together between them, then back to his face. “You told me that after you grew up, you’d find me. And you did.”
“Do you remember anything else?”
Ivy’s cheeks flushed scarlet in the morning haze, but she didn’t look away. “Yes.” The word was a whisper. He squeezed her hands, and she went on. “You said after you found me, we’d be together forever.”
“Yes, I did.” He leaned toward her and pressed his lips to hers. It was a brief, gentle kiss, reminiscent of the childish, tentative one they’d shared twenty-four years earlier. He pulled back, but only a few inches. “Would you allow me to keep the second part of my promise by becoming my wife?”
Her answering smile told him everything he needed to know. She threw her arms around his neck, pulled him to her, and kissed him until they were both breathless. Only then did she gasp, “Yes. Yes. Yes. Always yes. It’s always been you. It will always be you.”
He stopped further conversation by pulling her fully into his arms, and it was quite a while before he remembered that he’d forgotten a key part of his carefully planned proposal. “Ivy?” He murmured her name, his lips brushing hers.
“Hmm?”
“Do you want to see your ring?”
They were both laughing as he slid the diamond onto her finger.
